Cordoba and Barcelona faced off in their La Liga clash at the Nuevo Arcangel on Saturday.
The home side went into the fixture needing a victory to avoid being relegated to the Segunda Division, while Luis Enrique's men were looking to continue their surge towards the title.
Jose Antonio Romero's side held out for 42 minutes before Ivan Rakitic found the net, and from then on it was one-way traffic as Barcelona romped to a 8-0 victory, thanks in part to a hat-trick from Luis Suarez.
Read how all of the action unfolded in Sports Mole's minute-by-minute commentary below.
Good afternoon and welcome to the live commentary of the La Liga clash between Cordoba and Barcelona.
Luis Enrique's men are on the charge to secure the La Liga title following their emphatic 6-0 victory over Getafe last week. The victory was their third on the spin to extend their unbeaten run in the Primera Division to fend off the strong challenge from Real Madrid in second place in the table.
The form of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar has been integral to the club's push towards the title as the trio surpassed the 100-goal mark in the 6-0 win over Getafe, breaking the goalscoring record set by Thierry Henry, Samuel Eto'o and the Argentine for most goals in a campaign by three attacking players in the club's history.
Cordoba face a massive challenge today as they face relegation from the Primera Division unless they defeat the Catalan club. It has been a miserable season for the club which seen them change manager twice and accumulate just 20 points from their 34 games. Their defeat to Levante last week extended the club's winless run in the top flight to 16 matches which has all but sealed their fate.
The team news has been announced and we'll start with the home side.
CORDOBA STARTING XI: Juan Carlos, Pantic, Crespo, Fraga, Deivid, Lopez, Krhin, Fidel, Luso, Andone, Bebe
Subs: Ekeng, Heldon, Cartabia, Saizar, Gunino, Abel Gomez, Fede Vico
Subs: Ekeng, Heldon, Cartabia, Saizar, Gunino, Abel Gomez, Fede Vico
BARCELONA STARTING XI: Bravo, Alves, Pique, Mascherano, Alba, Busquets, Rakitic, Iniesta, Suarez, Messi, Neymar
Subs: Ter Stegen, Xavi, Pedro, Rafinha, Bartr, Adriano, Mathieu
Subs: Ter Stegen, Xavi, Pedro, Rafinha, Bartr, Adriano, Mathieu
Enrique has made five change to his team that defeated Getafe last week. Gerard Pique and Javier Mascherano return to the lineup after being rested in the heart of the defence, while Jordi Alba returns from a one-game ban at left-back. Andres Iniesta and Ivan Rakitic also return to the starting lineup in place of Rafinha and Xavi, who drop to the bench this afternoon.
The players are making their way out onto the pitch so we should be underway shortly.
KICKOFF! We're underway in the Nuevo Arcangel.
CHANCE! Barcelona should be ahead as Neymar somehow misses the target from two yards out. Alves created the opening as he raided down the right flank and lifted a pinpoint cross to the back post, but the forward couldn't find the target as he met the ball on the volley.
CHANCE! Barcelona are in again down the right as Alves collects the ball and drops it into the six-yard box. Neymar cannot control the ball to fire a first-time shot at Juan Carlos, and Messi takes it off him, but he can only scuff his effort under pressure from Deivid.
A very bright start from the Catalan club and you get the feeling that it may be only a matter of time before they force the breakthrough this afternoon.
CHANCE! An opening for Cordoba as Fraga speeds down the left flank and whips a cross into the box for the head of Andone, but the striker can only guide his header from 12 yards over the crossbar. A chance for the home side and they won't come around too often for them this afternoon.
CHANCE! Rakitic intercepts a pass and drives down the right flank to fire a low ball across the face of goal. Messi reacts to the cross, but his left-footed strike is deflected over the bar by the body of Pantic. Good defending from the hosts inside their own box.
A stoppage in play as Andone goes down following a clash of heads with Pique in the centre circle and the game halts to allow him to receive treatment. The forward looks to be ok, but you can never be to cautious with head injuries.
Suarez collects the ball on the edge of the box and tries to slide the ball through the legs of Pantic, but the defender makes an excellent intervention to win the ball and clear downfield with a huge kick. Solid defending so far from the hosts.
Barcelona seem quite content to play the waiting game as they are encamped on the edge of the box. Messi, Iniesta and Rakitic all exchange passes on the edge of the box, but the home side are maintaining their discipline at the moment.
Messi is played down the middle and tries to rifle a shot at goal, but his effort clatters into Deivid as the home side continue to frustrate Luis Enrique's men this afternoon.
Cordoba advance down the right flank with Crespo as he beats the challenge of Mascherano and manages to lift a cross to the back post for the run of Bebe, but the striker can only head his effort past the post.
CHANCE! Mascherano feeds Messi just outside the box and the Argentine takes one touch out of his feet to weave his way past three players in the penalty are before firing a low effort at goal. However, his strike is tame and straight at Juan Carlos, who makes the save.
Alba picks up the ball down the left and cuts inside with a burst of pace to surge into the box. Crespo tries to get back at him and does just enough to make the tackle and force the ball behind for a corner.
Barcelona work the ball again on the edge of the box as Alba slides the ball into the feet of Neymar, who in turn feeds Iniesta for a strike on the edge of the box. The effort is powerful, but the strike is deflected wide of the target, while Pique just can't do enough to keep the ball alive, but the visitors still have a corner.
Another brief stoppage in play as Crespo goes down in pain for the home side. He appears to be taking his time in going to the ground to receive treatment and who can blame him as he and his teammates have exerted a lot of energy in the opening 30 minutes of this match.
OFF THE POST! Barcelona come within inches of taking the lead as Messi lifts the ball over the top of the Cordoba defence with an arcing pass for Neymar. The Brazilian takes the shot on first time as Juan Carlos comes to make the block, the ball trickles past the keeper, but crashes off the post. Cordoba live to fight another day.
CHANCE! The danger isn't over for the home side as Barcelona regroup and surge forward again. Iniesta picks up the ball on the edge of the box and has time to fire a low effort towards the bottom corner, but the shot is not powerful enough to beat Juan Carlos.
GOAL! Cordoba 0-1 Barcelona (Rakitic)
Barcelona finally have their breathrough as the resistance from the home side is ended with a fine strike from Rakitic. Iniesta picked out the run of his teammate with a dinked ball over the top of the Cordoba defence down the left flank, and Rakitic managed to maintain his composure to rifle a strike on the half-volley through Juan Carlos into the net.
There will be two minutes of added time.
Barcelona are taking it easy before the half-time whistle as they seem content to knock the ball around at the back.
GOAL! Cordoba 0-2 Barcelona (Suarez)
Barcelona are not content to sit on a one-goal lead as they double their advantage through Suarez. The Uruguayan displayed his predatory instincts at the back post to latch onto Iniesta's pinpoint cross to poke the ball through the legs of Juan Carlos. Clinical stuff from the Catalan club and Cordoba look a broken side heading into the break.
HALF-TIME: Cordoba 0-2 Barcelona
Half time at the Nuevo Arcangel and Barcelona hold a 2-0 lead thanks to goals late in the half from Ivan Rakitic and Luis Suarez. Cordoba held their own for the majority of the first period and will be disappointed to be two goals down at the break, but that is why they are bottom of the table and Luis Enrique's men are surging towards the title.
Barcelona have not been at their fluent best in this game as the home side have had a couple of opportunities to snag a goal, but they were unable to take them. Cordoba defended deep and well for the first 40 minutes, but the visitors' quality told eventually as Rakitic scored an impressive opener, while Suarez showed his clinical edge in front of goal for the second. It looks a long way back for the hosts.
The players are making their way out onto the pitch for the second half, so we should be back underway shortly.
RESTART! We're back underway at the Nuevo Arcangel.
GOAL! Cordoba 0-3 Barcelona (Messi)
Barcelona extend their advantage as Messi heads home from 12 yards to surely put the game beyond the reach of the home side. Alves created the goal as he raided down the right flank and whipped a pinpoint cross into the box for the run of the Argentine, who headed the ball into the bottom corner.
Judging by the reactions of some of the Cordoba players they know their fate now. This game could quickly get out of hand should Barcelona up the ante.
GOAL! Cordoba 0-4 Barcelona (Suarez)
Game over surely as Suarez nets a fourth goal for Barcelona and his second of the match. Alves is the provider once more as he has the freedom of the right wing to lift a cross into the near post for the run of the Uruguayan to head an effort off the post and into the net.
YELLOW CARD! Before the goal we had out first booking of the match as Luso received a yellow card for a poor challenge on Busquets.
A slight reaction from the home side as Fraga raids down the left flank and tries to fire a low cross into the box, but Pique is alert to the danger and intercepts the cross before clearing the ball downfield.
CHANCE! Neymar somehow fails to make it five for the Catalan club as Suarez breaks away down the right and lofts a cross into the Brazilian's feet. However, Neymar can only scuff is effort wide of the post with the goal gaping.
SUBSTITUTIONS: Xavi and Mathieu come on for the home side as Iniesta and Mascherano make way with thoughts of their Champions League semi-final clash next week against Bayern Munich, one would think.
GOAL! Cordoba 0-5 Barcelona (Pique)
Barcelona are in complete control of the match as they add a fifth goal to their tally as Xavi whips the ball into the box from a corner and Pique manages to get free of his marker to direct a header into the bottom corner past a diving Juan Carlos.
An opening for a goal for the home side as Crespo wins the ball down the right and raids to the byline before pulling the ball back for Fede Vico. The forward brings the ball onto his left foot before unleashing a strike at goal, but his effort sails over the crossbar.
CHANCE! Suarez should net his hat-trick as he latches on to a ball over the top of the Cordoba defence and takes a touch inside to beat the centre-back Lopez, but with only Juan Carlos to beat the Uruguayan scuffs his strike wide of the post.
CHANCE! The home side threaten thanks to a through ball from Krhin as he finds the run of Andone in the box. The striker takes a touch to beat Mathieu, but the ball falls out of his reach and his eventual strike sails over the bar as he stretched for the ball.
The tempo of the match has dropped off significantly in the past few minutes as Barcelona seem quite content to knock the ball around in their own half and not advance down the field. Their minds may well have switched to their Champions League encounter against Bayern Munich next week.
CHANCE! Messi comes within inches of his second of the match as good play down the right between Alves and Pedro sees the latter whip a dangerous cross into the box. The Argentine latches onto the ball at the penalty spot where he scored his first goal, but this time he puts his header wide of the post.
GOAL! Cordoba 0-6 Barcelona (Messi)
Stop the fight! Barcelona net their sixth goal as Pedro plays a lovely one-two with Messi to race clear inside the box. Unselfishly he decides to play Suarez in for his hat-trick, but the Uruguayan is denied by a good save from Juan Carlos. However, the ball rebounds in the six-yard box where Messi pounces just before Neymar and Pedro.
PENALTY TO BARCA!
GOAL! Cordoba 0-7 Barcelona (Neymar pen.)
Barcelona pile on the anguish for Cordoba as Neymar raids forward and is felled by a challenge by Gunino and the referee has no problem pointing to the spot. You cannot help but pity Cordoba and Gunino as Neymar slots the ball past Juan Carlos into the bottom corner.
GOAL! Cordoba 0-8 Barcelona (Suarez)
Suarez completes his hat-trick and the agony continues for the home side as they concede their eighth goal. Talk about going down with a whimper, as the Uruguayan collects the ball inside the box and fires an effort past Juan Carlos with deadly accuracy.
FULL-TIME: Cordoba 0-8 Barcelona
Cordoba are relegated from La Liga!
Barcelona continue their march towards the La Liga title with one of the most emphatic victories you will ever see as they have crushed Cordoba this afternoon at the Nuevo Arcangel. Luis Suarez netted a hat-trick, while Lione Messi scored a brace, and Gerard Pique, Ivan Rakitic and Neymar were also on the scoresheet to move the Catalan club five points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the table.
Cordoba's miserable season ends with relegation as they are unable to overhaul Almeria in 17th place with three games remaining in their camapaign. A sad end, but they were not match for Luis Enrique's men this afternoon.
Thanks for joining our commentary this afternoon. Be sure to stick with Sports Mole for the rest of our coverage of La Liga and throughout the weekend.
Written by
Simon Sinclair
Simon Sinclair
